“King of the Road” by Roger Miller

When artists from Dean Martin to R.E.M to Randy Travis to Boxcar Willie to Jerry Lee Lewis to Rufus Wainwright to the Chipmunks have covered a 1965 song, you know it has timeless, wide-ranging appeal.

When movies from Brokeback Mountain to Talladega Nights to Into the Wild to Swingers have incorporated it, you know it has current pop culture cred. And when simple lyrics from a time gone by still evoke a mood of freedom, of hope, of being able to pick up and light out for the territories or just get up and head out for an as-yet-to-be-determined destination on a summer road trip, you know it belongs on a list paying homage to the season.